Last night, we wrapped up a book study that I facilitated. You probably remember me mentioning it a while back, but it was a first for me. For the longest time, the idea was growing in my heart. I had fully intended for it to be a summer book study, actually, but that didn't quite happen. I'll never forget finally sitting down and officially sending out all of the emails letting people know about it. There is truly nothing like knowing that you've not only said - yes - you have followed it with action.
I was shocked when ten girls enthusiastically signed right up! And then (you can see this coming), my precious little pride had to take a deep breath when we whittled down to half of that in the end. LOL! But still, my heart is just soaring over the fact that this vision of my heart is now a done deal! And let me tell you - the girls that stuck it out were just the most precious, varied, and open group you could wish for. When I first envisioned this, there's no way that I could have quite pictured the collection that gathered and stayed to the end.
There were moments during the study when I could see the numbers slimming and it was so funny to watch my heart in those times. I would find myself thinking 'I probably don't need to keep emailing the group once a week now.' It was almost as if all the umph would want to fly out of me as our numbers slimmed over the weeks. But wouldn't you know, in each of those moments here would come reminders of truth: "Abi, do NOT despise small beginnings" (Zechariah 4:10) and "Abi, if you are faithful with this little I have given you then there will be more to be faithful with....but faithfulness with the little matters to Me!" (Matthew 25:23)
I just couldn't shake how important it is to be faithful with whatever it is that He has put in your path. Regardless of size, impact, results, or stature - all that truly matters is faithfulness.
Our dear friend, Ray, is a very talented guy. A very smart guy. And he's a particularly good coach to business people who have big-time jobs. But he has this one question he asks that pierces straight through any acumen you may have and digs straight to the heart:
"How would your life look different if all that mattered was faithfulness?"
Join me in letting that one work its way through you!
Let's play that out a bit.
What if He isn't asking you to be responsible for the results? He is just asking you to be faithful.
What if He isn't asking you to know where it's all going? He is just asking you to be faithful.
What if He is wanting to lead you through a quiet season that doesn't look impressive to the outsider? He is just asking you to be faithful.
What if all those diapers you change today, those dishes you wash today and the messes you pick up for the umpteenth time are not meaningless to Him? What if He sees that as faithfulness?
What if you step out and do what He's been leading you to do - but you are afraid? Oh man. He loves that faithfulness!
What if you step out, and things don't go as well as you would have liked, but you don't quit? Faithfulness.
What if your world seems to be falling apart, but somehow you find the desire to not give up on God? Dear one, THAT is faithfulness!
Maybe none of these sound like you. Maybe it is something else entirely but it is both frightening and freeing to realize that faithfulness is all that matters. Come on now - it IS a little frightening because it removes the barriers that currently hold us back from moving forward in action! Ahhh! But truly it is SO freeing. You are off the hook in many areas that you may have thought mattered. It's not that results don't matter. It's just that He rarely says to us "I want you to do X and see it have Y results." It's usually more: "Child, follow me and do X." Whew!
I SO wish I had remembered to get a little picture of our group last night. Let me tell you, we may have dwindled but I am so honored by the girls who made it to the end with us. They are each treasures and it became such a life-giving place to be honest in and to spur each other on to Truth. It was an amazing blessing to me and I will never forget this experience. It took me months upon months...okay let's be honest it took me more than a year....to pull the trigger on faithfulness but I'm so thankful it finally happened. It's almost like a snowball effect now - stepping out in faithfulness is contagious to the other things in my heart that have been building!
Be encouraged today, journeyer! All He's asking is for your faithfulness - He is more than capable of taking care of the rest. He'll get you to the next step when you're supposed to be there.
Happy Friday y'all!
Abi
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